BUTLER TWP — Butler County Community College’s Education Foundation has raised nearly $5 million for its Pioneer Proud Campaign for the Heaton Family Learning Commons and other initiatives.

That was done in the past two years since the quiet phase of the campaign was launched.

Now the foundation is asking the public for donations to raise $500,000 by the end of the year to meet its $5.5 million goal, said Ruth Purcell, executive director of the BC3 Education Foundation.

She discussed the fundraising effort Wednesday at the BC3 trustees meeting.

“We will continue our efforts until we achieve our fundraising goals with a focus on the library initiative,” Purcell said in a statement.

“We want to make sure that the Heaton Family Learning Commons has state of the art technology so that BC3 students are well prepared to use information technology in their future jobs and education.”

In addition to building the Heaton Family Learning Commons that is replacing the John A. Beck Library, the campaign will help fund student scholarships and enrich existing programs such as college in the high school classes. It also will support economic development initiatives, including new career pathways with certificate and credential programs.

The campaign is led by a steering committee and its co-chairs, Bob Hunter and Nancy Hunter Mycka, both with Hunter Truck Sales and Service.

Mycka said, “Over the past two years, we have met with individuals and companies who we believed had the ability to make leadership gifts to the campaign, and we have been overwhelmed and extremely gratified by the response.”

Included in the $5 million raised is a $1 million gift from Lyndora entrepreneur Bob Heaton, which marked the largest individual contribution in the college’s history.

That gift is why the college named the learning commons after the Heaton family.

BC3 President Nick Neupauer said he’s particularly proud 82 percent of college employees have contributed to the campaign.

Neupauer also said in the statement, “The Heaton Family Learning Commons will be not only the center of the BC3 campus, but it will provide space for community meetings and informal gatherings. This is just another way that BC3 is truly a community resource.

“So many of the recent improvements, including the Shaffer Walking Trail, on the BC3 campus would not happen without private gifts. We are beyond appreciative of this generous support,” Neupauer said.

To donate, contact Ruth Purcell at 724-287-8711, Ext. 8368, or ruth.purcell@bc3.edu.

BC3 last had a fundraising campaign in 1999, which raised about $3.5 million to help build the Science and Technology building on campus.